Re: New Olszewski Collector Here - Have Questions!!

The Pirates piece along with the Haunted Mansion is what sold me on this collection! I remember seeing it at the Disney Gallery and just being shocked by the sheer detail of the insert scenes. I vote Pirates...it will probably be one of your most cherished pieces.

As for picking up the platform, I would vote yes if you are serious about completing the entire collection. There's something about displaying all the releases on the base that just can't be matched by displaying them individually. I have a feeling the platform may have a more limited window in terms of production runs. I don't think Robert intends to offer this for the life of the collection. However, picking up the platform locks you into a very costly commitment. With the economy as it is, not a decision anyone can easily make (unless one is wealthy).

Re: New Olszewski Collector Here - Have Questions!!

I do have a couple more questions regarding this collection. Any and all information that can be given to me would be great!

I know that there is going to be a Fantasyland platform released sometime in the near future. My question is this. Is there going to be a way for the Fantasyland platform to match up with the Main Street platform? I know on the Main Street platform, the train tracks run behind the castle. So how will the Fantasyland platform match up with it with the train tracks being there?

I look forward to hearing back from you all and thanks again for your help!

Re: New Olszewski Collector Here - Have Questions!!

The Fantasyland platform will supposedly be available for pre-order at the upcoming D23 expo (if not sooner). The platform will be designed so it can either be attached to the Main Street base or as a stand alone (as an extension, the Fantasyland plaform runs 3 ft long, as a standalone - 4 feet). Not sure about the train tracks though, although I had the impression the tracks would run completely around the two bases. Maybe Matt knows?

Re: New Olszewski Collector Here - Have Questions!!

Hopefully I will be putting in my order for the Main Street Platform within the next couple of weeks. Does anyone remember how much shipping is for the platform? I know when I order it, I have to put half of the money down. And then once it's ready to ship, I'll receive an email with the rest of the cost to pay along with the shipping fee. I'd really like to know how much that shipping fee is! I'm sure it's a fair amount of money considering the platform weighs around 90 pounds! If anyone can shed some light on this for me that would be great! Thanks again!

Re: New Olszewski Collector Here - Have Questions!!

Is the deposit 50% of the full price? I thought Olszewski Studios asked for a $150.00 down or somewhere in that neighborhood (but its been a while since I ordered my platform). I live in Hawaii so my shipping costs is totally skewed compared to those living in the continental USA. It was close to $500.00 to get it to my door, but I would suspect at least half of what I paid for your location (I'm assuming you are in the USA).

Re: New Olszewski Collector Here - Have Questions!!

Originally Posted by forestlite

The Fantasyland platform will supposedly be available for pre-order at the upcoming D23 expo (if not sooner). The platform will be designed so it can either be attached to the Main Street base or as a stand alone (as an extension, the Fantasyland plaform runs 3 ft long, as a standalone - 4 feet). Not sure about the train tracks though, although I had the impression the tracks would run completely around the two bases. Maybe Matt knows?

Bob did say that it would be possible to run the railroad around both pieces when the platforms are joined together. In any case, the width for both Fantasyland and Main Street is 2 1/2 feet with Main Street at 6 ft. I think the Fantasyland platform is only 3 1/2 feet, not 4. Only the half foot section needs to come off since the sum total length of the two platforms joined is 9 feet. I have not heard a weight announced on Fantasyland as yet, but yes, Main Street is a heavy sucker at 75 lbs. Packing weight may push it to 80, but 95 lbs might be an exaggeration.

As for how it will go over the tracks, the prototypes have shown a piece of resin will cover the tracks between the back of the Castle and the start of the Courtyard. I imagine a clearer version will be presented at D23 in eight days. HOPEFULLY there will be fellow Olszewski fans going and we'll get photos and analysis up posthaste. I'd go myself, but flying from Kentucky is expensive and classes start the day after the convention. I keep promising myself I'll make it back for an Olszewski release someday...

Oh and be careful about links to that site, forestlite, the mods here on the boards are not fans.

Re: New Olszewski Collector Here - Have Questions!!

Are you sure the fantasyland platform is only 3 1/2 feet long? If I remember correctly, the front end section would hold Sleeping Beauty Castle, Carnation Plaza, and King Triton's Garden if you were to keep it as a standalone base. Doesn't seem like 6 inches would be enough to hold those three pieces.

Re: New Olszewski Collector Here - Have Questions!!

Originally Posted by forestlite

Are you sure the fantasyland platform is only 3 1/2 feet long? If I remember correctly, the front end section would hold Sleeping Beauty Castle, Carnation Plaza, and King Triton's Garden if you were to keep it as a standalone base. Doesn't seem like 6 inches would be enough to hold those three pieces.

I could be wrong, the reports I heard were 3 1/2 feet. Truth is, we need to get more people to these events to collect information because I have not gotten anything first hand in years.

Re: New Olszewski Collector Here - Have Questions!!

Everything I had heard and seen to this point referred to a 4 foot platform, with 1 foot detachable if you were connecting it to the main street platform. So it would either be 4 feet or 3 feet long.

Not only would it hold those 3 pieces in their entirety, but the version I saw a year ago held half of the frontierland gate on the left and had a "fantasyland" sign in place of part of the Astro Orbitor on the other side - so that would require around a foot.

Re: New Olszewski Collector Here - Have Questions!!

Everything I had heard and seen to this point referred to a 4 foot platform, with 1 foot detachable if you were connecting it to the main street platform. So it would either be 4 feet or 3 feet long.

Not only would it hold those 3 pieces in their entirety, but the version I saw a year ago held half of the frontierland gate on the left and had a "fantasyland" sign in place of part of the Astro Orbitor on the other side - so that would require around a foot.

Right, I had forgotten about that. Plus all my measurements with the platform had been planned for 3 ft (with Main Street) that I just fudged the numbers. By the by, I think Bob had said something about wanting to do a Fantasyland marque like what he did with the vintage Disneyland sign. Should be cool!

Re: New Olszewski Collector Here - Have Questions!!

Ha, hey forestlite. I've always been on the yahoo list, but just discovered this forum. Always fun to have others to share in the excitement for these pieces.

I've been collecting for a while. I recently did some catching up when the online Disney Store had a 20% off sale on a number of the pieces as well as free shipping. I bought Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Mark Twain, Mr. Toad/Alice, and the second set of parade floats through that (awesome) sale. I'm down to having all of main street, and all of fantasyland aside from Dumbo. Hoping to find a Dumbo in stock at some point.

I built a coffee table for the Main Street platform, but I am now brainstorming ways to begin expanding it with the Fantasyland platform on the way.

Re: New Olszewski Collector Here - Have Questions!!

I'm on that Yahoo list too...but like here, not much is posted. I missed out on the glory days when the Olszewski Main Street collection was just picking up steam.

Wished I had known about that great sale! I still need to pick up the Jungle Cruise piece.

I wanted to build my own coffee table, but my carpentry skills are somewhat limited, so I ended up buying a fold away table from Costco. I too want to connect my Fantasyland base to Main Street, so have to look for a 3-foot table (most places start at 4 feet it seems). I was going to purchase an acrylic cover last year, but held off once the Fantasyland base was confirmed. Still wondering how I'm going to get a 9 foot long cover back home in my 4Runner....